GYBO – Manifesto 2.0

Gaza Youth to Planet Earth! Anyone out there? “Gaza what?”

The previous manifesto seems to have grown bigger than expected; many supported us, many others stood firmly against us, and very few stayed indifferent. Everyone had an opinion, yet rarely did they listen to others’ and in the middle of that mess, our own voice remained unheard.

Secular, Islamophobic, Dividing, Conspiratorial, Imaginary (?); we’ve been called by so many names, stopped counting and started crying. Both our supporters and those who swore to tear us down seem to have stopped at ONE thing in our manifesto: “Fuck Israel. Fuck Hamas. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNRWA. Fuck USA!”. And no matter how hard we tried to explain on our Facebook page, in vain.

What about the rest? Let’s make things clear, starting with the Palestinian movements point. We were harsh, true. We were angry, and still are. The order in which the “parties” have been cited was not intended, and we are conscious that it brought much confusion in people’s minds. However, to those reproaching us – because we denounced the corruption of our political leaders – of insulting the thousands who voted for Hamas in 2006 (among which us), of insulting the memories of the martyrs of the Resistance groups affiliated to the different Palestinian factions who shed their blood for us in many occasions, starting with Operation Cast Lead, we want to reply don’t insult the Palestinian people’s right to criticize its politicians.

Cast Lead wasn’t a war; Cast Lead was a massacre, a slaughter, anything but a war. And during that massacre, we, people of Gaza, paid from our blood too. Every single Palestinian sacrificed something, someone, it affected us all, from the youngest to the oldest, not only the Resistance. Bombs didn’t make much difference. We never intended to reject the Resistance, and we’re going to repeat it again; we will NEVER reject those who fight for us, for our Palestine, and it was NOT the case in our previous manifesto.

Yes we voted for Hamas government. We all did. We were tired of Fatah government’s corruption, wanted a change and hoped Hamas would be that change. That PRECISELY gives us the right to shout our anger at them, because they are responsible of us, responsible of our well-being, our security. Fatah in the West Bank arrests Hamas affiliates, Hamas in Gaza arrests Fatah affiliates, while everywhere in Palestine you can find family members from different factions living united. Yes we denounce our politicians – note that words; POLITICIANS – because their mutual hatred divided them even during the commemoration of the first anniversary of Cast Lead massacre, while a crowd of Palestinians from all factions stood united by martyrdom, grief, and love for Palestine.

Whether you want to admit it or not, believe it or not, corruption exists, and it’s our right as Palestinians to denounce it, because we are tired of it. Internal change has not only internal parameters. Change will come only if people outside realize that they need to take into consideration the fact that corruption does exist, and that it needs to be stopped if we want unity back. So if it takes us to shout it to the world for our political leaders to hear us and care to unite for us, we’ll do it a hundred times.

No one helps us by asking from us to keep our mouths shut about our political issues. We’re accused of encouraging division because we dare point out the weakness of our political leaders. No one knows, apart from those who are INSIDE, how life is in Palestine because of these divisions. Trying to shut us up by saying “don’t criticize, keep your divisions “secret” and discrete” is most harmful! It just confirms our politicians that they can keep on doing it the way they do it, they will be supported by people who don’t know the theory lying in political programs. In other terms, criticizing Hamas political leaders – but the other factions’ political leaders AS WELL – is a way for us to say “if you keep it this way, all you will get is division, which is what Israel seeks”. We ought to remind them of our martyrs and imprisoned, our ancients, those who gave birth and made those movements live. We ought to remind them that Cheikh Yaseen, Marwan Barghouti, and all the others deserve more than that. Who’s in the best position for such an honest shout out, if not their own children?

The question has been raised about our anonymity. We can understand that. What we don’t understand is that instead of listening to our call for patience and time, we’ve seen ourselves caught in a witch-hunt, as ridiculous as fetching for the slightest element to make us fall. Example?

“The founding base of this group [Sharek Youth Forum] was funded by the U.S.’s National Endowment for Democracy (which have done much to overturn democracy in many countries) is suspect. Allen Weinstein (one of the founders of NED) said “a lot of what we [NED] do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA”. Does that sound good anyone?”

Seriously?! Because we mentioned that the closure of the forum – which was one of the only centers for youths remaining in Gaza, one of the only places where young people could meet, learn foreign languages, use the internet, and enjoy things they don’t have at home to escape from the deadly routine in Gaza – was the straw that broke the camel’s back for youths who had nowhere else to go, people assumed that our “base” was that center and that we were funded by the CIA? Other people claim that it’s most suspicious that our manifesto created that much buzz, made its way to Western journals. Where is the “innocent until proven guilty” principle? We seem to be the first victims of our success.

We do exist, and if we don’t want to reveal our identity for the moment – for safety reasons – it’s our right. However, more proofs of our existence are to come in the next days, one brought by contributors of the Electronic Intifada:

What is our leitmotiv? Freedom. And for that, we know that we need the Palestinians and their leaders to unite against the Zionist Occupier. And that’s precisely why we call for action. Now. Not in 6 months, not in a year, not wait until another massacre strikes us. Now. We call on the Palestinians to unite and organize in an efficient movement of non violent protests, boycott. We call for divestment and sanctions against “Israel”. We want our land back, we want our freedom of movement back, we want to be able to go abroad to have a chance, like other people of our age, to get education. We want to be able to exchange freely with the world, to have a future and be motivated to work for it. Enough fear, enough terror, enough misery, enough broken dreams, enough airstrikes, enough blockade, enough mourning, enough violation of every single human right we are supposed to have.

We want three things. We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask? We are a peace movement consistent of young people in Gaza and supporters elsewhere that will not rest until the truth about Gaza and Palestine is known by everybody in this whole world and in such a degree that no more silent consent or loud indifference will be accepted. And if we fail, other groups will take our place, until our voice can’t be ignored anymore.

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Previous version of the manifesto:

Fuck Israel. Fuck Hamas. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNRWA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up with Israel, Hamas, Fatah, the occupation, the violations of human rights and the indifference of the international community! We want to scream and break this wall of silence, injustice and indifference like the Israeli F16’s breaking the wall of sound; scream with all the power in our souls in order to release this immense frustration that consumes us because of this fucking situation we live in; we are like lice between two nails living a nightmare inside a nightmare, no room for hope, no space for freedom. We are sick of being caught in this political struggle; sick of coal dark nights with airplanes circling above our homes; sick of innocent farmers getting shot in the buffer zone because they are taking care of their lands; sick of bearded guys walking around with their guns abusing their power, beating up or incarcerating young people demonstrating for what they believe in; sick of the wall of shame that separates us from the rest of our country and keeps us imprisoned in a stamp-sized piece of land; sick of being portrayed as terrorists, homemade fanatics with explosives in our pockets and evil in our eyes; sick of the indifference we meet from the international community, the so-called experts in expressing concerns and drafting resolutions but cowards in enforcing anything they agree on; we are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.

There is a revolution growing inside of us, an immense dissatisfaction and frustration that will destroy us unless we find a way of canalizing this energy into something that can challenge the status quo and give us some kind of hope. The final drop that made our hearts tremble with frustration and hopelessness happened 30th November, when Hamas’ officers came to Sharek Youth Forum, a leading youth organization (www.sharek.ps) with their guns, lies and aggressiveness, throwing everybody outside, incarcerating some and prohibiting Sharek from working. A few days later, demonstrators in front of Sharek were beaten and some incarcerated. We are really living a nightmare inside a nightmare. It is difficult to find words for the pressure we are under. We barely survived the Operation Cast Lead, where Israel very effectively bombed the shit out of us, destroying thousands of homes and even more lives and dreams. They did not get rid of Hamas, as they intended, but they sure scared us forever and distributed post traumatic stress syndrome to everybody, as there was nowhere to run.

We are youth with heavy hearts. We carry in ourselves a heaviness so immense that it makes it difficult to us to enjoy the sunset. How to enjoy it when dark clouds paint the horizon and bleak memories run past our eyes every time we close them? We smile in order to hide the pain. We laugh in order to forget the war. We hope in order not to commit suicide here and now. During the war we got the unmistakable feeling that Israel wanted to erase us from the face of the earth. During the last years Hamas has been doing all they can to control our thoughts, behaviour and aspirations. We are a generation of young people used to face missiles, carrying what seems to be a impossible mission of living a normal and healthy life, and only barely tolerated by a massive organization that has spread in our society as a malicious cancer disease, causing mayhem and effectively killing all living cells, thoughts and dreams on its way as well as paralyzing people with its terror regime. Not to mention the prison we live in, a prison sustained by a so-called democratic country.

History is repeating itself in its most cruel way and nobody seems to care. We are scared. Here in Gaza we are scared of being incarcerated, interrogated, hit, tortured, bombed, killed. We are afraid of living, because every single step we take has to be considered and well-thought, there are limitations everywhere, we cannot move as we want, say what we want, do what we want, sometimes we even cant think what we want because the occupation has occupied our brains and hearts so terrible that it hurts and it makes us want to shed endless tears of frustration and rage!

We do not want to hate, we do not want to feel all of this feelings, we do not want to be victims anymore. ENOUGH! Enough pain, enough tears, enough suffering, enough control, limitations, unjust justifications, terror, torture, excuses, bombings, sleepless nights, dead civilians, black memories, bleak future, heart aching present, disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit, enough incarceration! WE SAY STOP! This is not the future we want!

We want three things. We want to be free. We want to be able to live a normal life. We want peace. Is that too much to ask? We are a peace movement consistent of young people in Gaza and supporters elsewhere that will not rest until the truth about Gaza is known by everybody in this whole world and in such a degree that no more silent consent or loud indifference will be accepted.

This is the Gazan youth’s manifesto for change!

We will start by destroying the occupation that surrounds ourselves, we will break free from this mental incarceration and regain our dignity and self respect. We will carry our heads high even though we will face resistance. We will work day and night in order to change these miserable conditions we are living under. We will build dreams where we meet walls.

We only hope that you – yes, you reading this statement right now! – can support us. In order to find out how, please write on our wall or contact us directly: freegazayouth[at]hotmail.com

We want to be free, we want to live, we want peace.

FREE GAZA YOUTH!

If you want to help, here are some ways for now:

Promoting our manifesto by sharing it

Sending an email to your friends asking them to join us in our different social accounts (Facebook, Twitter)

Translating the manifesto to your language and sending it to us

Sending the manifesto to journalists in your country

Making organizations in your countries that are concerned with the Palestinian issue and/or youth rights know about our existence

Posting links about violation of youth’s rights in Gaza on our wall

Planning an event in your country about this issue and/or organizing for a skype conference, where we are able to talk with a group of youth, politicians or others outside Gaza

So you want a non violent solution that will bring justice. But, the justice you are after is for palestinians only. Me as an israeli is still your enemy (according to you) and the only way to make your justice is by making me (and my national identity) go away. I’m not really sure how that would be justice? wouldn’t that just be replacing one injustice with another? In israel I use my freedom to demonstrate at every possible occasion for the existence of a PALESTINIAN state and against occupation (at the gaza strip and west bank). Reading some of the comments here make me feel like an idiot. While i’m striving to get to a compromise that would insure justice (imperfect, as it always is) for both sides i turn around to see that your notion of justice is one which means no isreal. What am i supposed to do then? roll over and die?

Hello!
My name is Rebecca. I’m a journalist working as an editor for a tv production company. I heard about the recently initiated manifest “Free Gaza Youth”, and I am very much interested in that. I think it’s quite important to have a plattform like this, and I like the idea of a manifest which is interested in piece very much! Therefore, my question is: Can you tell me who the initiator of the manifest is? And, if it is possible to contact him? Thanks for your interest and your reply!

Congratulations on a heart elt plea for change in Palestine!! Your manifesto brought tears to my eyes as I was reading it. This comment is to let you know you are not alone in the world and that I share your pain and frustration with the international community and their un-willingness to do anything constructive towards a peaceful solution to the problem.

hello guys,I’m Italian and I have a daughter your age.
I have always looked with admiration and I admire Israel today, I admire the Israelis for their courage and their strength of will, for their ability to resist the war and terrorism. Just terrorism has always prevented me to consider the way down even the suffering of the Palestinian people. Now your manifesto made me realize that Palestinians say is not to say only bombs, hijackings, hostage civilians captured and brutally killed. I think from what little I’ve seen and read that in Israel there are many people who think like you and who are tired of war, violence, bullying, scheming of political / economic events on the skin of you all Israelis and Palestinians. Terrorism and fundamentalism have produced serious consequences on our lives by making it difficult relations with Muslims in our country, this was probably that the terrorist leaders wanted!
You are a ray of light, a voice of hope and also a push to resist those who want to prevent the peaceful coexistence of all of us.
sorry for my English
thanks

We can not feel touched by your “you are the ray of light” when you say above that you admire Israel, and reject “Palestinian terrorists”. Since when are people who defend their lands the terrorists? WE live under bombs, WE are chased from our homes, WE are murdered. Not Israel. I think that from the too little you have seen, you have NO idea of what’s going on in Palestine, and that the Israel you are admiring are the real terrorists.

I’m sorry but you have your own reasons and I have mine, like everyone else, with bombs, the abuses, the violence does not solve anything, anyone to do it! I think that Hamas is a terrorist organization made up of criminals who live and thrive on the misfortunes of the people. You can not get to freedom and peace if we do not speak and do not seek common points. Forgive me if I say it once, but in my opinion, the only way is to make everyone who uses the harmless people, without distinction of religion and race, for their own interests

Well said, guys!
Yes, we have not so many reliable reports from the Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation: too many so-called “journalists” send their articles from the Sheraton hotels in Tel Aviv and other Israeli towns where they are comfortably staying, and call them “reports from the Palestine”. Often the simply send edited and translated versions of Israeli Armed Forces’ press releases, or revised articles of Israeli newspapers.
Even if a couple of Israeli newspapers are better than many Italian newspapers, it is not fair to present the Palestinian people and their lives under an illegal foreign military occupation from the point of view of the occupants…
Well, if you still don’t have an Italian version of your Manifesto, I will send you it in few days (let me know if you still need it).
Good lock to you all and thanks a lot for the hope you are representing.

Too many interests have covered the cries of your pain, governments have tried to distort the truth about what happened and is happening in Palestine, it is always easy to blame the terrorists, not terrorists but those who commit genocide?? are not terrorists who terrorize children just for fun? are not terrorists who attacked the ambulance when they go to rescue people? are not terrorists who bombed mosques, schools, hospitals only because they know that will make thousands of victims?
And I end up wondering if terrorists are not our governments to allow everything to happen ‘only interest …

The previous post (wilma’s) is a clear example of what an avaragely intelligent (no offence) and superficially informed person think about your condition. Most people actually believe you are something less-than-human who need to be caged away in order to preserve the security of everybody else. And that’s because they think you are some religion-nuts ready to blow yourself up in their children’s bedroom. The best move in your manifesto is making people understand that you are no different from every other nation’s youth, you should really insist on that.
I wish you a boatload of luck, but you’ll probably need a lot more. If you need it I can work on an italian translation of your manifesto. Just whistle.

Hey, this is great guys! yet please don’t forget that there’s people suffering from this war in Israel as well. The manifesto is brilliant, fuck everybody, Israel AND Hamas. The great pain and sadness, as you’ve said, is best directed towards creativity and ingeniousness, but it must never fuel blind RAGE, which would only make things worse.
You have all my respect and sympathy… if you need to translate the manifesto in italian, I’d be happy to do it. good luck

The only way for Israel and Palestine to get along is having political leaders who will NOT look for conflict at all costs.
When Hamas and Likud will not be in charge and these two peoples will be guided by more tolerant, far-sighted leaders, maybe there will be a chance for all of you to live in peace.
Your job, dear brothers and sisters, is more difficult then ever: you have to convince your people that even in your disgraceful condition, even under the constant menace of air raids and bombings, even in extreme poverty, the violent solution is NOT a solution.
You have to divulge a new way of thinking.
You have to talk to your families, to your friends, to old people as well as kids.
You have to be the spark that ignites a cultural change.
It’s the only way to get rid of the extremists.
Good luck.

Great Manifesto! I tried to share it on facebook, but they denied it!!!
It’s incredible what kind of repression at all level you have to soffer!
And is really incredible that in the world the image of middle-east is like everebody are fanatics…just like you say.
I really wish you to get much much more support and attention from all over, this it would absolutely be the best way to start peace, making the world to understand that there are young arabs, that want really peace and that have nothing to do with the bearded fanatics they show all the times!

Thanks for your words. It’s so difficult for me (and I think for many people outside Palestine and Israel) to understand what is going on and even if your manifesto finally sheds some light, I am still very confused. If Gaza people wants peace and democracy, why did they vote for Hamas? If you say that Hamas is as bad as Israel, why you say “the Israel you are admiring are the real terrorists” as if Hamas are not terrorists as well? How can you think that Israel will ever accept an agreement with Palestinians if they continue to think that Israel should be destroyed, and if Hamas support fanatic governments like Iran ? You feel surrounded by an enemy, Israel; Israel feels surrounded by many enemies, the Arab/Islamic countries. Get rid of Hamas and everything will be easier. I hope your manifesto is the first bold step in this direction. You are very brave!

hello guys. i am a photografer and a ledger of Jewish Arab groups / thus almost the first time that I get a call from you that want to see the hall picture that want to take a responsibility not only to blame/ I think that most of the Israeli will open up for you if they will know that they have a partner to talk to
You can blame Israel and maybe you will be right / but if we want to make a solution we have to know that we have a partner that willing to take a responsibility /
Are you really in that position?
Tamar anvil

good!
Get rid of prejudice, free yourself from the oppression of religions: Christians, Jews, Muslims need only to produce divisions and control minds. In 2000 years have produced only an endless trail of blood in the name of god.
God is in your hearts not in the pages written by men.
Priests to write comfortably seated while the women with their children, working in the fields, washing, cleaning, cooking, to nourish, to serve these bastards. Ignore their absurd laws that change, opposed by country. Madness!
fight the selfishness of Israel, the U.S., Hamas, Fatah, with the non-violence. Gandhi defeated the British colonial empire without weapons only with their determination and so ‘even Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, etc.
Be compassionate with yourself, with your women, your men, your pets, with your trees, your land, God is in everything, if you respect life, life will help you! inshallah!

It’s really hard to find the words when the only thing that I can do for you is to share your letter with as many people as possible. I admire YOU. There are many persons in Italy that are well aware that (a) it is Israel that is vexing you and (b) that the military apparatus of Israel and Hamas (and/or any kind of obscure and violent fundamentalist) are feeding one another, they are providing one another the air they breath, the same air that is poison for peaceful people. I can just say good luck to all of you: if you are able to go ahead without recurring to violence (I understand it’s very difficult to do) you will serve your country, your people, the world in most effective way and you show to be the most brave and bold of any fucking guy with a gun in his hands.

shalom all of you young people
i am from israel.
i am proud of your manifesto because i know that peace in the world will come threw you.
the old generation is looking for power and control, but the time is changing and the young people will bring the change.
the only way to change is by keeping your dreams in your mind and do not give up.
you will have to do the revolution in your place by talking to all the young people in order to teach them that there is another way, not a way of war but the way of love and peace.
you will have to get reed of the hamas and take the power into your hands.
yes, may be it is not yet the time, but when you are many you will bring the change.
stop hating and start loving your selves, educate your self and live high values in your privet life and with others.
i know that your life is not happy still it is up to you what you achieve in your life.
keep on with your work, keep on dreaming, keep on standing for your rights, keep on loving ,
and i know that the days of peace are very close.

WE ARE ONE!
Your manifest is so strong & surprisingly full of hope & positive energy!
My heart is with all of you, I hold your hands and I pray for peace with you.
I believe the dream of peace will come true by us, the people – NOT by politicians!
They make all their business from keeping wars going on…

As an Israeli woman, musician & mother I participate in PEACE & SULHA gatherings of people – women & men from all religious groups, from Israel & the occupied territories.

Two weeks ago I sang at a Sulha gathering of about 100 Muslim, Jewish & Christian youth.
We made a big circle, holding hands, singing & dancing together.
It was so easy to be together. We are so much the same!

Here’s a link to WE ARE ONE – the song I wrote during the second war in Lebanon, which I sing at the gatherings:

Hello every one.
I think a lots of folks seems to miss the point.
Palestine is an occupied land. Occupied by Israel. Does not matter which way you want to paint Israel, the people that live in Israel at least the Europeans Jews that came after the partition of Palestine is the reason that Palestinians homes are being demolished, is the reason that there are 4.5 Palestine Refugees in neighboring countries, they are the reason that Settlements exist in Palestine.
There were Arab Jews before the partition of Palestine and they were living just fine, the problems for them and Muslims started when Palestine was divided and stolen from Palestinians. And do not get me wrong, many Jews that have sympathized with the Palestinians also have also lost their homes and some are being incarcerated, specially the most devoted Jews that do not accept the state of Israel being forced upon the people.
There is a very true statement that said: “There can not be Peace without Justice” and as long as the land is not returned to Palestinians there could be no Peace.
We can sing along all we want, trying to promoted tolerance of religion, co-habitat between Jews, Christians and Muslim but again you are missing the point. This conflict it not about religion. that is the propaganda machine sold story, this is about Land Dispossession, Cold Murder, Natural Resources stolen, marginalization, the WALL, impunity, and in top of all that, Settlements inside Palestine Land, well what was left after the Partition, and after the another annexation of the 1967 border.
Even if I do not like Hamas as a political party for Gaza for their lack of touch with their people, which is suffering enough.. They have a valid claim of not accepting Israel, after all. Israel was an entity imposed to the Palestinians on 1948. So why should they recognized the entity that came to take their land.
So people the story does not end with the youth of Gaza being known around the world, the truth should be known complete. Palestine needs her land back for the Palestinians, for the ones crowded in 40 kilometers of land (1.5 millions) Gaza, and for the ones expelled, exiled, refugees around the world.
And when they Tear the Wall Down will be he a beginning, and when they dismantle all the settlements inside West Banks, When they returned Jerusalem, then we will be talking of Peace Process. Before all that take place, Israel is playing just a game to take more land. and keep the world occupied with religious intolerance and TV made up Terrorists.

My hearth is with you. I am so disgusted with Israel just wanting to push you out of your own country and talking about democracy. I talk to everyone I meet about the suffering of Palestinian people by Israelis. Here in Italy the media are just 100% controlled by the Israely lobby, it’s incredible.
Resist, resist, resist, these crimes can not go on forever, the more time passes, the more Israel will find it difficoult to perpetrate its horrors.

Your dreams can come true, the more passion you have for them (and oh passion you have plenty), the more chance you have to succeed. Fight for what you want, don’t add power to your struggle by fighting against what you don’t want. Fight for your freedom, your strength, your life and your happiness, fight for your birthright to thrive and blossom into this world! I am your age, writing from Berlin, a city whose walls where torn down by a people who believed in their dream. My father is Indian, and old enough to remember the the struggle for independence, and how his people together shrugged off the mightiest empire of the day, like one shrugs off a fly that bothered you long enough. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE! You can go as far as your dreams take you.

Here is a link to a documentary that might bring you further inspiration. Liberia was suffering under decades of war and oppression, murder, destruction and the seeming annihilation of hope. But a group of women got together, to believe in a better future. Through their dream, their insistence on their dream, they forced their corrupt leaders and their brutal oppressors to bring peace. They can now built a future worth living in. It’s called ‘Pray the Devil back to Hell’ and you can find it here http://www.moviewatch.in/watch-21468-Pray-the-Devil-Back-to-Hell

Palestine CAN be free once more, and WILL be free once more. The people of this world are waiting to welcome you as friends and guests and inspirations! There are many hearts out here beating with you!

Hi everyone,
to resolve the world conflicts, we have to change a lot of basic understandings in our heads. Those who are involved in conflicts in the moment, need any support. Those who are not involved, should think about their contribution. What could it be? At first awareness followed by understanding about all the major mechanisms in our global society. Solving the Middle-East-Conflict means to solve many other conflicts in parallel. Visit, read and spread (if you like)

I don’t think israel want’s a divided palestine. I think they want palestine to be a peaceful neighbor. I agree that the tensions run deep, and that israel has done terrible things in retaliation/pre-emption, but as even you admit, the palestinian governments have done nothing to warrant trust. Point your revolution at overthrowing hamas and fatah, install a pro-peace unity government.

Bravo! We in Germany should have a closer look on you Gazians and the realities in the Gaza Strip, where so many of you are suffering from our indifference and wasting their precious brains. It has never been a good idea to lumper up the personal and commercial relations with too much politics. We in Germany want peace and welfare in the region but in order to reach this aim we should talk directly to you and the young Israelis and not cling to diplomates who are just wasting our time.

This was a good start. Everybody is concerned with power, with their illegitimate interests and you suffer the consequences. So fuck everybody. The first manifesto was clear enough. Of course lot’s of people will misresent and twist your words, but you have to get used to it, as public figures.

Perfect Manifesto! Don’t let anyone say you have no right to be/express your very, very valid and justified frustrations, anger, and disgust and you have done so with clearer and more opened eyes and minds than any of your oppressors and critics. Kuddos to you and keep it up!

I’m a big fan of this manifesto, the previous one was mostly fueled by anger and you guys have a right to vent your anger, but that’s not the best way to get your point across. This manifesto was well thought out, clearly articulated, and explained the difference between patriotic criticism and self-hate. A difference most people living in democratic countries should easily understand, but that doesn’t seem to be true.

I support your Manifesto, your disgust at corruption, and your call for peaceful means to achieve justice, freedom, and peace. I post regularly on the JaLa-Young leaders site and have repeatedly expressed my beliefs and, I think, my very soul has been exposed in those posts. I ask only to present ideas for your consideration.

I subscribed to your site to support you and to attempt to communicate directly with Hamas and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), both of which I believe monitor your site.

I suggest this is a time of new risks and new opportunities for those who support a just, non-violent peace in Palestine. The risks are obvious. It is likely that there may be renewed violence in Palestine around the time of the September PNA initiative in the UN. Any such violence would only strengthen the position of the right wing (Zionists, if you will) in Israel. But how do the people who suffer most try to take advantage of the opportunity?

First, I suggest it is a time for a renewed internal dialogue in Hamas and among its supporters. The main question perhaps is: Is it time to adopt a new approach based upon the current events in the Middle East and the lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the IRA and Nelson Mandela, who was at one time a strong advocate of violent dissent? Is it time to move the group’s primary focus to peaceful political activities? Are such activities the best way to support the strong desires of the people of Palestine for a just peace? If they are, what is an effective way to go about it?

There are no doubt many potential effective answers to the last question. I humbly offer one possible course of action:

1. Hamas takes the initiative for peace by forming a joint front with the PNA to declare an immediate and unconditional cease fire. The duration of the cease fire should be lengthy – past the time of September activities at the UN, and past the time for projected elections in Palestine and Israel. This alone may have many beneficial results.

2. Hamas and the PNA jointly propose negotiations for a prisoner exchange and an end to the embargo of Gaza. Such outcomes become more likely if the proposal has been preceded by a unilateral cease fire.

3. Hamas and the PNA jointly propose the immediate resumption of direct peace talks with Israel with a stated willingness to recognize the State of Israel contingent upon the conclusion of a comprehensive peace plan (which must include the renunciation of force by all parties for any purpose other than self defense). Direct peace negotiations could, and probably should, begin immediately and proceed at the same time the September UN initiative continues. Although a suspension of the implementation of any possible resolution from the UN could be negotiated to allow continuation of direct peace negotiations as long as progress is being made in those talks.

These three steps, taken before September would capture the attention of the world, reduce the chance for violence that would strengthen Israeli conservatives, and allow Palestinians to be recognized by the world as the real advocate of peace.

Perhaps chances for a real peace are small. But, given the renewed attention of the world on legitimate aspirations of average people throughout the region at this time, and the growing frustration throughout Palestine at the current situation, they may also offer the best chance for peace. And if a just peace can be agreed, the world would have to recognize that it was the initiative of the Palestinians (not the Israelis, the UN, the USA, the Quartet, or anyone else) that made it all possible.

Why are you so angtry at Israel, but not at the arab countries? From what we hear, the arab countries want you to be frustrated, so they’ll have a reason to get rid of Israel. We know how arrafat turned down the offers of land, two different times. Why?

Why don’t you get angry at Jordan or Syria or Egypt? We read that your grand-parents left the land because the Arab countries told them to, because they were going to attack. Doesn’t that make you angry, that they told your families to leave? We cannot understand why you are mad at Israel. but not Jordan or Syria unless it is just because they are Jewish. We read that you go into Israel for medical care and that there are muslims in the Knesset and muslim judges in Israel.

I am not arguing – I am really trying to get understanding. Why can’t you live with a 2-state solution? Why do we always hear that you say you will drive Israel into the sea?. Why don’t we want to share the land with the Jews?

If what we hear about you hating the Jews is wrong, I am sorry. But we don’t understand why arrafat would not accept a two-state solution and why we hear you only want the land if the Jews are forced to leave it.

We also hear over here that you danced in the streets when the Fogel family was killed and when the USA and Norway were hit. We don’t dance in the street if we hear of dead or injured palestinians, so we don’t understand why you would celebratte people dying?

I am only trying to understand. Your manifesto speaks to me. I wish it was better.

I love GYBO. May man’s shame, his crime of war, be reflected in his true nature of brotherly love. May the one’s we wait for, bring us peace; with joy and justice which long ago departed our land. One day in the very near future may all lives lost forgive us for our sins and in turn help us enter into a new phase of eternal kinship with all humanity.

guys, if you hate the Hamas so much, kill them! What are you waiting for? You don’t like them, why did you elect them? You still don’t like them? Your Egyptian brothers have opened the border for you. From Egypt you can go anywhere you desire. You wanted the Jews out from Gaza? You got it! Stop lamenting. Instead of throwing hundreds of shells and mortars that you receive from Iran into Ashkelon, Ber Sheeva, Ashdod etc throw them into Hamas’ headquarters and you’ve freed yourselves. No one else will do you for you! Not even your muslim brothers as you have probably noticed by now. Good luck